Category Archives: News

Woohoo! Naomi will be running 3000m for Team Scotland at the CYG somewhere considerably hotter and sunnier than NE Scotland. Huge congrats from all Gramps and we’ll be glued to the track and field sports news late July. http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/bahamas-bound-11-athletes-picked-cyg/

=-O How did that happen?! As a club with no clear strategy or captain (although we did have a banner which was more than many) we somehow managed to rack up enough points at Tentsmuir to come 3rd in the Trophy class (small clubs) and a mere 6 points behind arch-rivals Maroc. Result! It’s aContinue reading “Compass Sport Cup 2017 – 3rd place for Gramp in the Trophy class!”

Woohoo! Congratulations to Lesley for sweeping up two trophies a couple of weekends ago (and apologies for not spotting this and posting sooner :-[) And she wasn’t the only Champ as Gramp mopped up several of the other Night Trophies too… congrats to Helen, Carolyn, Keith and Neil too. Scottish Night Champs W45L 1st HelenContinue reading “Double win for Lesley Gomersall at Scottish Night and Sprint Champs 2017!”

Quick summary of you for those of you who didn’t go to the AGM: Busy year: Forest Sprints, Summer Series, Level C events, Urban etc. Scottish Champs in May – run jointly with MAROC JIRCS in Sept – very successful, Ian coordinated whole w/e GMC – Dave plus 2 Ians – no issues – mightContinue reading “2016 AGM roundup and Roll of Honour”

The results have now been published for the 2016 SOUL races, sponsored by BTO Solicitors. Congratulations to everyone who took part, and especially to the following who finished in the top 10 of their class :- W12- 2nd   Morven Farquharson 4th   Kirsty Farquharson W16- 2nd   Josie Gomersall M Vet 40+ 5th   Peter Lawrence W VetContinue reading “Gramps on the podium – BTO Urban League 2016”

Karen Darke, para-cycling medal winner and one of our patrons of Scottish Orienteering, will be competing in the Paralympics in Rio next week. Silver 2012 London Paralympic Games H1-2 time-trial Silver 2014 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, USA H3 time-trial Bronze 2014 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, USA H3 road race ….to name a fewContinue reading “One to watch @ Rio 2016 – Karen Darke”

One person admitted to oversleeping and not getting to Glen Dye when expected to set up the all important time-keeping system and having to be chased from their bed by a phone call from the Planner at 10-ish. He claimed: “Mo Farah made me do it!” One person admitted to having inadvertently embezzled club assetsContinue reading “More admissions than UCAS?”

And it is now. A veritable mud bath to finish off today, getting stuck down deep slippery sided gullies and skiting down even steeper slopes desperately hoping the folk at the bottom would get out of the way as we certainly weren’t stopping even if we’d wanted too. Sadly no podium finishes for the GrampsContinue reading “Croeso 2016 – they think it’s all over”

Couple of photos for you, courtesy of Lindsey Esson, showing the mixed bag of orienteering/weather we’ve been sampling. First was taken on the training area at  Merthyr Mawr sand dunes and the second was taken at today’s start at Mynydd Llangynidr, limestone moorland dotted with monster depressions, sinkholes and pits and visibility down to a few hundred metresContinue reading “Croeso 2016 update”

Just in case you’re wondering what to do with yourselves on Wednesday evening (as there’s no Summer Series), how about checking on the progress of the Gramps down at Croeso this year? A mixed bag of fortunes on Kenfig Burrows on Days 1 and 2 – a cracking area of vegetated monster dunes a bit like Forvie onContinue reading “Croeso 2016”

If you see Bob Daly going about at one of the Summer Series over the next few weeks congratulate him on his call up to the Scottish Vets Squad for the VHIs in Northern Ireland 3rd/4th September. (If you don’t know him, he’s the one who always runs late and always offers to collect controls.)Continue reading “Scottish Vets call up for Bob Daly”

The fell-runners of the club were out and about over the weekend taking part in the last Highlander Mountain Marathon in Glen Cannich. “A great event and amazing weather conditions, with some really tough courses. Didn’t expect the B to be quite the test it was for me, or my right shoe (which had halfContinue reading “10th (and last) Highlander 2016”

  In recognition of his invaluable contribution to the success of Highland 2015, this year the SOA President’s Medal will be going to Richard Oxlade. Read all about it here.   Congratulations and thanks once again from the rest of the club to Richard for stepping up to that very challenging role on our behalf. (Just hopeContinue reading “President’s Medal 2016 goes to Richard Oxlade”

Having dismantled the final marquee about 2pm today after the Relays, Richard eventually went off home for a well-earned rest and to apologise to his cat for force feeding it all last week (he needed the box the cat food sachets come in as it had perfectly sized compartments for three rows of neatly foldedContinue reading “Scottish Championships 2016”

1996 11 Person Relay Winners Richard Oxlade, Rob Hickling, James Esson, Tim Nash, Bob Daly Gordon Hendry, George Esson Andrew Lobban, Duncan Grassie, Laura Mackinnon, David Esson Planner was Neil McLean Controller was Chris Aust Organiser was Donald Grassie The first (and only) response to our wee competition was Neil McLean whose first reaction onContinue reading “40th Anniversary Photo Competition”

5 dedicated GRAMPs made the trip down south for this year’s JK held in Yorkshire. Bob Daly and Ian Hamilton took on the Sprint course in brilliant sunshine on Day 1 at Leeds Uni (cracking looking map on RG) and were then joined by Rob and Anne Hickling and Gen Jones for Day 2 atContinue reading “JK2016 & CompassSport Cup”

To celebrate GRAMP’s 40th birthday, I thought we might run a wee competition for some of our long-standing members. Click on the photo to get a better view if needed, then drop an email to flump@care4free.net with the answers to these questions: Who are all these skinny/hirsute people? What year was the photo taken? WhatContinue reading “Who are all these skinny/hirsute people?”

Nothing to do with orienteering but he is a Gramp so I feel totally justified in passing on a link to something Ian Searle spotted and flagged up with the comment ‘Simply outstanding!’ Seconded! Intrigued? Click here.

GRAMP’s 40th Birthday is this April! We’re now officially Vet class! Join us for a birthday dinner to celebrate at Raemoir House on evening of Friday the 22nd of April. Further details to come… Altogether now – Happy Birthday to us! Happy Birthday to us!

Congratulations to Sam Gomersall on his M50 win on Saturday at Bonaly near Edinburgh. We have another Champion to kick start 2016’s Roll of Honour. (Take note JL.) Other performances of note were Josie 3rd W16, Gordon Urquart 3rd M35 and Helen Rowlands running up and taking 2nd W45.

Can you beat 68/70 in 165 seconds? (all options selected, 3 multiple choice answers per question) Maprunner IOF control descriptions quiz

For those of you who didn’t make it to the AGM, here’s a copy of the Chairman’s Report and the 2015 Roll of Honour and other awards. 2015 GRAMP Roll of Honour.pdf Chairmans report 2015.pdf

The last championship event of the year, the Scottish Score Orienteering championships, was held last Sunday 22nd November at Pitmedden Forest, Fife.  The provisional results can be found are the KFO website here. Gramp competitors ran well and came away with some excellent results: M20 – 1st Jack Gomersall W45 – 5th Helen Rowlands W50Continue reading “Scottish Score Champs and Inter-Club Championships”

Having “done” Venice, Barcelona and Rome in previous years, we looked at either Antwerp or Sevilla for our autumn City O Break this year and the lure of tapas, beautiful medieval streets and the chance to practice our Spanish again swung it. (Sorry, Antwerp!) 3 very different O races to help justify all that tapasContinue reading “Pete’s turn on the podium @ Trofeo Sevilla O-Meeting”

Congratulations to David and Lachlan Kirk on their excellent 10th place on the C Course in this year’s OMM. Quite a debut for an M16 (although we already knew that Lachlan can run the legs off anything!) And thanks for the tip off and congratulations too to Mark Stockton and Urban Sprint newcomer, Chris Cowley,Continue reading “OMM 2015”

He won’t thank me for telling you this (he’s very quiet and self-effacing) but we have a hero in our midst. He’s been regularly volunteering to get controls in after events for years and years but looks like he’s now started collecting competitors instead…..! “Can you relay a thank you to Bob Daly who cameContinue reading “Hero of the hour!”

Our very own Rob Hickling helped Scotland to second place down in Wales over the weekend. I haven’t had a chance to read the results in detail but did spot him doing very well in the individual M60 competition on Saturday chasing down fellow Scot and big rival Eddie Harwood to score 7 and 8Continue reading “VHIs 2015 – Scotland gain 2nd place”

Congratulations to the following GRAMPS on their SOL successes in 2015: Rob Hickling 1st M60 (have a good one at the VHIs this weekend!) George Esson 3rd M65S Neil McLean 1st M70 Morven Farquharson 2nd W10 Kirsty Farquharson 3rd W10 Carolyn McLeod 1st W40L Anne Hoy 3rd W55S Anne Hickling 1st W60S

Great result for Tim yesterday in a truly mind boggling race around the peaks on either side of Glen Coe. Part hill running, part scrambling, part Spider Manning his way round 30 odd km of brutal terrain in 7:55:09 and only 11 minutes behind the Skyrunning World Champion, Emelie Forsberg. (Don’t think he’ll mind beingContinue reading “Tim Gomersall 6th in inaugural Glen Coe Skyline Race”

Ali Robertson leaping over one of Strathfarrar’s finest boggy bits. (Photo by ActivNorth) This may look impressive but is as nothing compared to the hoops Richard Oxlade and Anne Hickling have been jumping through on our behalf over the last two years in their respective roles as Highland 2015 Co-ordinator and Scottish Orienteering 6-Day EventContinue reading “S6D Highland 2015”

A small but determined contingent of Gramps travelled across to EckoLand for the Scottish Championships 23rd/24th May and gained several podium finishes between them: 1st 17+ Points Relay Class: Gramp One aka Carolyn and Iain McLeod and Bob Daly (Woohoo!) W21S Individual: Heather Hale (Woohoo too!) 2nd W50L Carolyn McLeod W55S Anne Hoy M50S RichardContinue reading “Scottish Championships 2015”

Rachel Scott and Kate Robertson helped Team CNR to victory today in the ActivityMix Corporate Decathlon Urban Navigation event. Although as it all took place within a very small and well-known area of central Aberdeen there was very little navigation involved unless you count the navigation through Google and Yahoo pages to find the answersContinue reading “Grampian Orienteers help CNR to victory in the ActivityMix CD Urban Navigation”

Congrats to Pete Lawrence and Anne Hickling for their 3rd places overall on M50S and W60S respectively after 2 days of tough and intricate orienteering in the Lake District. Steep, rocky, muddy hillsides really sorted the sheep from the mountain goats. It was all too tempting to follow the muddy trods along the path ofContinue reading “JK2015 – 2 GRAMPs on the podium”

Just over 30 GRAMP members enjoyed a beautiful sunny day at Balnagowan on Sunday. Full results are on the MAROC website http://www.marocscotland.org.uk/ In the club competition the result was close but GRAMP came 3rd, just behind much larger teams from FVO and ESOC. Special mention should be made of Jonathan Smith, who inadvertently entered theContinue reading “Compass Sport Cup 2015 Results”

(It’s not often I get to put my own name up in lights so I’m going to enjoy this while it lasts….!) Congrats to Helen Rowlands and Rachel Scott for winning 1st and 2nd Female in this year’s Mini Deeside Night Cup (aka the Short course). Chocolatey prizes featured largely and also vouchers from FieldContinue reading “DNC Mini Night Cup 14/15 successes”

For those of you who didn’t make it to the AGM, here’s a copy of the Chairman’s Report and the 2014 Roll of Honour and other awards. Don’t forget that Ian H is still waiting for your contributions to the 2014 Yearbook to add a little colour to this list of achievements so get scribbling!!Continue reading “2014 Chairman’s Report and Roll of Honour”

Congratulations to these GRAMPs who have been crowned SOL Class Winners for 2014: W10B Morvern Farqhuarson W40L Carolyn McLeod W55S Oonagh Grassie M18 Sasha Chepelin M21L Gordon Hale M35S David Esson M60L Rob Hickling M70L Neil McLean And congratulations too to Tim Gomersall, Katrina McLeod and Calum McLeod on receiving their call up papers forContinue reading “GRAMP SOL Champions 2014 and SEDS call ups for 2015”